Wax Museum opens at Duarte Institute
President Danilo Medina was present for the opening of the wax museum at the Duarte Institute. The museum tells the story of Duarte and his family. It is located at the house where founding father Juan Pablo Duarte was born in the Colonial City. In addition to the wax museum area, the enhanced Duarte Institute now has an auditorium for 139 persons. Juan Gilberto Núñez was the curator of the museum works.

Historian Juan Daniel Balcácer, who is the president of the governmental Permanent Commission for National Historic Events, called the museum a model for the rest of the country.

The Office of Supervisory Engineers of State Works (OISOE), a division of the Presidency, carried out the renovation.

Dubai World Customs to help improve Dominican Customs Agency
The customs agencies of Dubai and the Dominican Republic signed a cooperation agreement whereby Dubai will provide technical assistance and specialized advisory services to the Dominican Customs Agency (DGA) for its reform and modernization. Directors Enrique A. Ramírez Paniagua and Faisal Eissa Lutfi signed for the Dominican Customs Agency (DGA) and the Dubai Customs World, respectively.

It was announced that the agreement will have a positive effect on the economical development of the region in general, will promote inter-Caribbean commerce and facilitate the access to other world markets. It focuses on bolstering customs agency service, increasing tax collection efficiency, and strengthening Customs capacity to fight contraband.

Central Bank will inject US$275 million to meet business hard currency demand
The governor of the Central Bank Héctor Valdez Albizu, after meeting with business sector representatives, announced reserves up to US$200 million will be made available to supply the hard currency needs of the business sector. He said an additional US$75 million would be available for future currency operations for companies with 30-45 forwards commitments.

Valdez Albizu said that last year more than US$21.5 billion in hard currency was transacted in the financial sector. He highlighted that in 2016 the Central Bank surpassed the US$6 billion barrier for the first time in Dominican economic history. He said more than US$100 million a day is being transacted by Dominican commercial banks.

He said that the financial entities have RD$30 billion in overnight deposits at the Central Bank, which provides space so that the injection of reserve dollars into the market does not affect cash flow volumes or interest rate levels.

Valdez Albizu announced plans for an online hard currency platform whereby the Central Bank can be more effective in managing its exchange policy and making more timely interventions in the Dominican market when there is an imbalance between the supply and demand of foreign exchange.

Farmers blast Ministry of Agriculture’s coffee policies
The National Confederation of Farmers (CONFENAGRO) told reporters that according to their calculations coffee production has fallen by more than 70%. This has cost farmers over RD$18 billion over the past four years.

The report was presented by Eric Rivero, the president of the Confederation and Richard Peralta, the director of an important sector of the Dominican Coffee Council (Codocafé). Both men attributed this situation to a lack of government attention and to the erratic policies being carried out by current Agriculture Minister Angel Estevez.

According to information from Codocafe, coffee production in 2008 was 830,000 quintals while from 2014 to 2015 only 135,000 quintals were produced bringing increased poverty to coffee producing areas. In 2016, more than US$100 million in coffee imported from countries such as Vietnam, Honduras and Colombia to compensate for the decline in local coffee production.

The members of the Confederation together with the representatives of the coffee growers are rejecting a bill backed by the Ministry of Agriculture that would create a new entity called the Dominican Coffee Institute. The farmers groups say that the new entity would just bring about more dependence upon the government and its patronage. The news conference was held in the Ciudad Ganadera in Santo Domingo.

Geological Society opens Congress
The Dominican Geological Society (SODOGEO) opened its first congress yesterday, 15 March 2017 in Santo Domingo with a call for the use of science in order to sustain development. The scientists feel that this is the only way that discussions regarding development can be based on valid evidence.

Miguel Diaz, the SODOGEO president, noted: “The challenge for humanity is sustainable development, which is to say, knowing how to use the planet’s resources in such a way that they are sustainable on the long-term and at the same time reduce inequality in developed and undeveloped countries.”

Diaz noted that the Dominican Republic has significant natural resources in terms of mineral deposits, something that can be considered a natural capital that can be used to achieve sustained development. He said that responsible mining can certainly be the agent for this sustainable development of a country and is therefore of interest to all Dominicans.

This first congress organized by SODOGEO is being held at the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM). It is also sponsored by the National Geological Service and the mining division of the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

The International Congress of Applied Geology will be held through tomorrow, 17 March at the PUCMM. Studies on seismic risks as well as the efficient use of water resources in mining will be presented.

DR-Canada relations show continual growth
The Dominican-Canadian Chamber of Commerce told reporters that the commercial ties between the two countries have shown continuing growth over the years. Eduardo Dominguez, Chamber president, in an interview with reporters from Diario Libre, highlighted the huge Canadian investment In Barrick Gold and that some 800,000 Canadians visited the Dominican Republic in 2016.

He also noted that exports to Canada are close to US$1.0 billion mostly because of Barrick Gold exports. The executive also noted that Dominican imports from Canada are about US$200 million so that the trade balance is significantly in favor of the Dominican Republic.

Dominquez was speaking during the Second Forum on Trust and Investment Funds carried out on Wednesday 15 March 2016 by the Dominican-Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the law firm of Salas, Piantini & Associates.

Journalist Huchi Lora calls for investigating eight Odebrecht constructions
TV journalist Luis Eduardo Lora (Huchi) called for state prosecutors to investigate the escalating of the construction budgets for eight Odebrecht projects in the Dominican Republic. Lora mentioned there was US$634 million in cost variations of the public works. He compared the initial budgets to the final costs.
Odebrecht admitted to a US court to having paid US$92 million in bribes to secure US$4.78 billion in contract work. Lora spoke on the El Día morning talk show televised on Telesistema, Channel 11.

Lora said that the authorities can not keep on looking the other way. He said overpricing has been verified at least in the case of eight Odebrecht public works. In some cases the overpricing is more than 173% of the initial budgeted cost.

On his El Dia program on Tuesday, 14 March 2017, Lora presented a graph showing the initial and completed cost for the Palomino and Pinalito dams, the Northwest, Samana and Salcedo aqueducts, the Constanza and Jarabacoa road and the Coral Highway.

Green marches on
The “Green March” movement has called for a massive concentration of people at the Independence Park in the National District this Sunday, 19 March, as part of the closing activities which took “the green flame for an end to impunity,” around the country in an effort by a coalition of organizations to fight corruption.

In a press release the organization invites the general public in Greater Santo Domingo and nearby provinces to the “cultural” activity. The event is a follow up of the green torch activity where torches were symbolically lit to press for the call to an end to corruption and impunity.

The “Green March” came together when last 22 January 2017 thousands of Dominicans demanded that President Danilo Medina create a commission of independent prosecutors and specialists from the United Nations to investigate the bribery for US$92 million that the Brazilian Odebrecht construction company admitted to having paid to obtain contracts from the government between 2001 and 2014.

Rona Credit company execs arrested
The District Attorney’s office for the National District issued arrest warrants on Wednesday, 15 March for four executives of the Rona Credit Corporation that has been intervened by the authorities. Officials from the DAs office carried out seven search warrants together with the arrests on accusations of fraud, criminal association and violation of the Monetary and Financial Law. The financial corporation is accused of a RD$200 million fraud scheme that left hundreds without savings.

Near midday on Wednesday, District Attorney Yeni Berenice Reynoso interviewed the four financial executives -- Luis Felipe Romero Navarro, the president of the board of directors; Elucipio Romero Navarro, a vice president; Juan Felipe Romero and Latia Romero Suarez.

Duquesa is a major issue for mayors of Greater Santo Domingo
The mayors of Greater Santo Domingo requested on Wednesday, 15 March 2017 that the Ministry of Environment take control of the Duquesa landfill and refuse dump. This call comes as the Lajun Company said they were going to limit dumping at the disposal site of solid waste to a Monday through Friday 8 to 5pm schedule.

René Polanco, the president of the group, said that this should be an urgent issue because of the seriousness of the problem and that the cancellation of the contract should be in the discussions.

The mayors also told reporters that they wanted the Ministry of Defense to withdraw Colonel Franklin Frias and other military personnel from the site because these instead of being at the service of state institutions are representing the interests of the private company Lajun”.

Mayors from Boca Chica, los Alcarrizos, East Santo Domingo and other municipalities of the greater Santo Domingo area took part in the press conference held that the offices of the Dominican Municipal Federation.

Tony Peña will stick with same line-up
The manager of the Team Dominican Republic that is participating in the World Baseball Classic, Tony Peña told reporters in San Diego, California, after his team lost 3-1 to Puerto Rico that he had no intention of changing his lineup of Dominican baseball stars. He told reporter: “If I lose, I lose with my team.”

He told reporters that his guys are professionals and in the next crucial game against the United States, they will certainly give their best.

Peña had been kicked out of the game against Puerto Rico on Tuesday for arguing about a strike called on Carlos Santana that replays showed to be very low.

Víctor Víctor and Pavel Núñez at Lucia 203
Víctor Víctor and Pavel Núñez will be on stage at Lucia 203 in the Colonial City on Saturday, 25 March 2017. They promise to sing their greatest hits for their fans. The show is named “Por si no llegamos a abril” (In Case We Don’t Make it to April.)